For the third year in a row, Maryland has delayed implementation of its Paid Family Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. On May 6, 2025, Governor Moore signed HB 102, a bill modifying the FAMLI program, first established by the...more
On July 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) formally withdrew its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would have amended 29 C.F.R. part 525 by phasing out the issuance of certificates authorizing subminimum...more
7/7/2025
/ Biden Administration ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disabilities ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Minimum Wage ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State Labor Laws ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour
The District of Columbia continues to implement broad employment initiatives, ranging from wage and hour laws to stricter civil penalties. The following is a rundown of key developments for employers to keep an eye on as we...more
5/8/2023
/ Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Attorneys General ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
On November 8, 2022, Washington D.C. voters overwhelmingly passed Initiative 82 or the “District of Columbia Tip Credit Elimination Act.” As a result, the tip credit for D.C. tipped wage workers will be gradually phased out...more
11/21/2022
/ Ballot Measures ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Food Service Workers ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
In 2018, the District of Columbia enacted the Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act (“the Act”). Among other things, the Act imposes obligations on employers that employ tipped employees, including significant training...more
10/3/2022
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Food Service Workers ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Tipped Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
Minimum wage laws can affect businesses of all sizes, whether operating nationwide, in multiple jurisdictions, or only in one state, county, or city. To help manage this challenge, below we provide a rates-only update that...more
For the past few months, we have been keeping a very safe distance from each other: thousands of miles. However, as more businesses reopen across the country, we realize it is time to come together (virtually) to discuss an...more
Hey, do you want to read an article not about COVID-19? Well, you are in luck, because in this virus-free issue of Wage Watch, we discuss only developments concerning the minimum wage, tips, and overtime that occurred in the...more
3/9/2020
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Franchises ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Joint Employers ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Over-Time ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
If January's minimum wage, tip, and overtime developments forecast what employers should expect throughout the remainder of the year, it could be a challenging 2020....more
2/5/2020
/ Comment Period ,
Deadlines ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Food Service Workers ,
Franchises ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Job Duties ,
Joint Employers ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Opinion Letter ,
Over-Time ,
Preemption ,
Rate of Pay ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Small Business ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tax Credits ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
We remember when legislative and regulatory developments rarely occurred in December, but those days are behind us.
A Reminder About New Year's Eve & New Year's Day Rate Increases: Many minimum wage, tipped and exempt...more
1/2/2020
/ Appeals ,
Comment Period ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Consumer Price Index ,
Deadlines ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Lack of Jurisdiction ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Limited Liability Company (LLC) ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Perks ,
Preemption ,
Rate of Pay ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Statements ,
Wages ,
White-Collar Exemptions
Turkeys weren't the only things stuffed in November – there was a gut-busting amount of late-year legislative, regulatory and case law developments at the federal, state, and local levels concerning the minimum wage, tips,...more
12/5/2019
/ Ballot Measures ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Fluctuating Workweek ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions ,
Work Schedules
Minimum wage laws can affect businesses of all sizes, whether operating nationwide, in multiple jurisdictions, or only in one state, county, or city. To help manage this challenge, below we provide a rates-only update that...more
11/13/2019
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Food Service Workers ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Salary ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Rate of Pay ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Threshold Requirements ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
This October there are no tricks, but there are plenty of treats (assuming you have a sweet tooth for minimum wage, overtime, and tip developments at all levels of government)....more
11/1/2019
/ Back Wages ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
Though in August summer is almost over and fall is just about upon us, federal, state, and local developments concerning the minimum wage, tips, and overtime transcend the seasons.
...more
While most parts of the country were heating up in July, developments concerning the minimum wage, tips, and overtime were cooling off. Many state legislatures have adjourned or are in recess, leaving it mainly to federal...more
Summer, summer, summertime; time to sit back and unwind with minimum wage, overtime, and tip-related developments that occurred in June 2019.
A Reminder that Minimum Wage Rates May Increase on July 1: As we discussed in...more
The District of Columbia Council has passed several pieces of legislation that impose significant obligations upon employers in the District of Columbia. Below is a roundup of recent laws that have been enacted in the...more
6/27/2019
/ Domestic Violence ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Contributions ,
Minimum Wage ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Payroll Records ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Sexual Assault ,
State and Local Government ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Garnishment
Status of U.S. Department of Labor Rules: May 21, 2019 was the deadline to submit public comment concerning the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rules governing the minimum salary or fee amount employees must receive...more
It was a busy third month of 2019, so we will march right into discussing developments concerning the minimum wage, tips, and overtime....more
4/2/2019
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Salary ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Preemption ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Orders ,
White-Collar Exemptions
In February, love was not the only thing in the air; wafting through legislative chambers across the country was the sweet smell of bills about the minimum wage, tips, and overtime. Many bills will be stood up, or ultimately...more
2/28/2019
/ 20% Rule ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Food Service Workers ,
Internships ,
Job Duties ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Standards ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tax Credits ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
2019 marks the start of Wage Watch’s third year of publication, which we will celebrate the only way we (sadly) know how: by recapping federal, state, and local developments concerning the minimum wage, tips, and overtime....more
2/1/2019
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Offshore Drilling ,
Over-Time ,
Preemption ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tax Credits ,
Tip Credit ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
Time on 2018 has just about run out, so without delay, here are the developments impacting the minimum wage, tips, and overtime that occurred in 2018’s final month....more
1/2/2019
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Opinion Letter ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
The dishes are done, the leftovers are gone, and you are back at work. Were new laws enacted while you were conked out in a tryptophan-induced nap? Keep reading for all the November updates about the minimum wage, tips, and...more
12/3/2018
/ Ballot Measures ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Payroll Audit Independent Determination program (PAID) ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
Minimum wage laws can impact businesses of all sizes, whether operating nationwide, in multiple jurisdictions, or only in one state, county, or city. To help manage this challenge, we are publishing a rates-only update...more
DOL Previews its Costume (Regulatory Agenda Update): The U.S. Department of Labor released its fall regulatory agenda, in which it discussed proposed rulemaking activities the Wage & Hour Division plans to undertake...more
11/1/2018
/ Ballot Measures ,
Joint Employers ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Salary ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Over-Time ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions